What's Fun in Liuzhou, This Industrial City? Chengyang Bazhai Will Make You Not Want to Go Home
As an industrial city, Liuzhou certainly has fewer attractions than popular tourist cities like Guilin, but I personally quite enjoy traveling to Liuzhou. First, because it's not too crowded, and second, because Liuzhou's attractions are relatively 'fresh and natural,' which is 'incompatible' with its identity as an industrial city.
First, I recommend taking a night cruise on the Baili Liujiang. This is the best way to appreciate the overall scenery of Liuzhou. Taking a boat trip, you can enjoy man-made waterfalls, musical fountains, the Confucian Temple, and Yaobu Ancient Town along the way. Of course, you can also visit the Confucian Temple and Yaobu Ancient Town specifically. If you don't want to go at night, you can take a water bus along the river during the day to see the river views as well, but it stops after 7 p.m.
The cruise on Baili Liujiang takes over an hour. After getting off, you can choose a hotel by the riverside to stay. I recommend the Liuzhou Baiyue Garden Hotel. It's by the river, next to a food city, offering a quiet retreat in a bustling area. The air is superb, and from the room you can overlook the Baili Liujiang. Most importantly, you can sleep well; even someone like me with very poor sleep quality can sleep through the night. I must recommend it to everyone.
In the morning, you can go to Ma'anshan. It is the top choice for a relaxing morning activity. Among China's many famous mountains, Ma'anshan is relatively unknown and not high in altitude, but it wins with good air and a view of the entire Liuzhou cityscape, somewhat like 'when you reach the top, you can see all other mountains at a glance.' Whenever I come to Liuzhou, Ma'anshan is a must-visit for me.
The Sanjiang Dong Village, also known as Chengyang Bazhai, captivated me the first time I visited. It consists of eight villages, with buildings that are wooden stilt houses built along the mountainside. There are many ancient wells and pavilions. The landscape is picturesque, with clear streams and sweet spring water, lush pines and firs, surrounded by green bamboos swaying gracefully—it's like a paradise. Such a place seems quite 'alternative' against the backdrop of an industrial city like Liuzhou, with a fresh and refined charm. A life like poetry is probably like this.
Inside the Dong village, you will see many wind and rain bridges, which are the most important transportation structures for the Dong people. Among them, I love the Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge the most. The entire bridge was built without a single nail, yet it has stood for a hundred years. The surrounding scenery is truly beautiful; a random snapshot can become a wonderful painting. If you like drawing, you must go to the Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge to sketch when visiting Liuzhou.
Finally, I recommend two more places: one is the Liuhou Temple, and the other is Longtan Park. Liuhou Temple houses the cenotaph of the great literary figure Liu Zongyuan. It is rich in cultural atmosphere, with lush trees and pleasant air. As a literature enthusiast, it is necessary to pay tribute. As for Longtan Park, I think it is well worth a visit. To put it this way: Guilin's landscapes are grand and imposing, like a lady from a noble family, while Longtan Park's landscapes are delicate and refined, like a girl from a small family, more serene and worth savoring slowly.
In my eyes, Liuzhou is a city worth savoring slowly. If you come to Liuzhou, I hope you won't miss the attractions recommended above!
